Experts from the Council of Europe have urged the United Kingdom to adopt language strategies for Irish and Ulster Scots, in particular, and to strengthen the teaching of all regional or minority languages in the UK – including Cornish, Scots, Scottish Gaelic and Welsh – as well as Manx Gaelic on the Isle of Man. These were among the main recommendations in the latest report on the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man published by the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
Overall, the Committee found that there is a good framework for protecting regional or minority languages, but there is an over-reliance on volunteers for the development of some languages – notably Cornish, Scots and Ulster Scots – and a lack of adequate and systematic funding. The report also notes that minority language education lies within the remit of local authorities, which are largely responsible for both ensuring delivery and stimulating demand. In practice, this leads to a very uneven situation across different regional or minority languages, with the training and recruitment of teachers remaining problematic for all such languages.
Similarly, the use of regional or minority languages in public administration is largely left to the discretion of regional and local authorities. This also leads to a very varied situation: the ability to communicate in Welsh is guaranteed in all relevant local councils, but this is not always the case concerning Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Irish, Ulster Scots or Manx Gaelic and it is not possible for Cornish.
The report is based on information provided by governmental and non-governmental sources, including information obtained during the Committee’s visit to the United Kingdom in February 2024. It has been published together with comments from the UK authorities.
Press release
Council of Europe experts call for measures to boost regional and minority languages in the UK
The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the United Kingdom
